Pieces of Ourselves
by Conundrumz
Summary: While searching for a feather, Kurogane and Fai come across...themselves? kurofai


I know, I dissappear for what? Almost a year? orz;; Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed my other stories! I bring another Kurofai fic - it's the first writing piece I've done in ages, so I apologize for its lameness. D: I hope that someone will still be able to enjoy it, so...

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"They're the same...and not the same,' Fai had said, with that knowing, yet melancholy smile. 'They may have lived very different lives, but when it comes down to it...at the very basic level they're the same.

The very root of their lives...Their nature...Their hearts..."

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They made a funny picture.

The slighter man – blonde haired, blue eyed- leaning slightly backwards and strolling in a casual loping way, so contrasted by the man beside him; hunched forward and stomping.

The streets of the town were busy as always, and the tanned and muscular man with his alarming stalk and his companion's lithe walk had already drawn one or two furtive glances.

"You're scaring people, Kuro-rin", Fai commented cheerfully, as another young man sidestepped them.

A grunt – that could have been a reply- was issued from the darker man, and a second later his gait seemed to become slightly less menacing.

"I wonder if Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan have found anything", Fai mused aloud; still affecting his causal stroll but leaning his head to look at Kurogane, "we should head back soon, Kuro-tan."

"Yeah" The ninja grunted, stopping and briefly inclining his head towards the sun which was sinking lower in the sky.

"I guess we'll have to look for leads about Sakura-chan's feather tomorrow' Fai commented as Kurogane changed direction into an upcoming street. "Ahhhh, it's a shame, I'd like to relax for once."

Kurogane grunted and continued walking, the buildings passing gradually, dull, grey and all the same; so different from either of the men's worlds.

A while passed before Fai made to speak again, observing their surroundings. "Ne, Kuro-chan, do you recognize-"

Fai broke off suddenly as Kurogane came to a tense stop in front of him.

"Kuro-sama?'

The taller man leaned away from Fai's inquiring gaze and scanned the road.

"Kuro-sama, are you lost?"

Kurogane's shoulder twitched.

"**No**," He growled, setting off in silence along another road with Fai – who might have been beginning to grin- following indifferently. For a while the pair walked in silence, until, once again, Kurogane came to a halt and grumbled something darkly under his breath.

"We're lost aren't we, Kuro-rin? Fai prodded the other man's side.

"DON'T DO THAT!"

"Kuro-myuu, you've gotten us lost!"

"I'M NOT FRIGGIN' LOST!'

Kurogane swung in another direction, his pace increased with agitation so Fai had to hurry to catch up again. Stalking along, Kurogane pointedly ignored him, refusing to admit to himself that this street bore frightening resemblance to the one they'd just turned off of.

The next corner brought them into a more open road; people passed them cautiously – probably due to Kurogane's rather frightening expression.

The pair paused, Fai leaning lazily against the wall of a nearby building and observing Kurogane with amusement, as the ninja growled under his breath and glanced this way and that.

Neither spotted him at first – just another of the many people out; sitting across the street from them at some cafe or another- but, with a skipping heart beat- awareness dawned.

The turn of a head - and there was Fai.

But not Fai – a different Fai; one with hair grown so long it flopped easily to cover his left eye and tied back with a silky ribbon. Fai with casual clothes, sitting with his chin in his hands at an outside table, more relaxed than Kurogane had ever seen him.

And suddenly, looking around at someone, this Fai was smiling – really smiling - with soft eyes and a blissful grin. An unveiled smile that pounded in Kurogane's stomach and made his companion's eye's wide.

Then this Fai was blocked from their view by someone come to join him at the table, setting a drink down for him and holding another in one large hand as he pulled back a chair.

With another jolt to his stomach, Kurogane watched himself sit down.

This Kurogane – this _other_ Kurogane – moved with the same muscular grace, leaning forward with the same intimidating stare to his companion.

But this Kurogane was smiling, wearing a vexed yet amused expression at the other Fai. A grudging smile –yet one none the less- as his Fai laughed-_really laughed_- and took hold of his drink.

So eerily; Fai watched himself across the street, saw his hand leave his glass and move across the table, saw it curl its long and graceful fingers around the larger, darker hand of the man across from him.

Kurogane watched, with a strange jerk his heart, as this other Kurogane flushed-_flushed_- and quickly looked the other way. He watched, and he saw those hands stay entwined together.

This Fai was talking, grinning, his head to the side and watching the other Kurogane, who looked bored, than annoyed, then embarrassed. Then Kurogane was seeing himself lean with that those same large shoulders, across the table, and, with those same dark hands, thread his fingers through that long, pale hair of the other Fai.

Like an electric shock, like a wave crashing over head, Kurogane and Fai watched their lips meet.

With sharp intakes of breath, with no breath at all, they saw this Kurogane cupping that Fai's face, saw that Fai closing his eyes, relaxing, leaning into the kiss.

With time lagging, stopping, they saw themselves break apart – one laugh, one flush- to go back to drinking and talking as though this act – this inconceivable act- was normal, was usual.

Neither was aware that they had turned and hurried away until they found themselves tensely walking down another road, a road, thank God, that was finally familiar.

Kurogane knew Fai was talking, looking away and moving his lips in an insincere cover up, but he couldn't hear his over the giant thump in his chest.

As dazed as Kurogane, Fai had spotted their temporary lodgings, his body so rigid and his hand so shaky he could hardly open the door.

As, the pair entered the empty room, so bare of the welcome distraction of the kid, the princess, even the manjuu, time snapped back again, leaving the two men in a silent and tense space.

In silence, Kurogane stared at Fai's back until the slighter man finally turned and met his eyes.

In that moment, space suddenly contracted and expanded again between them, realization hit both – a sudden crushing and unbearable weight, knowledge of a feeling unspoken and never expected.

A moment that stretched for eternity, until finally, it was broken by the twisting of a knob, the entry of their other companions and they could retreat inside themselves again, behind a fake smile and easy movements, behind a harsh look and silent countenance.

They were free to turn away, to grunt, to laugh, and converse with the cheerful princess and the determined boy, while one panicked and the other denied in the face of an impossible emotion.

Somewhere across town, in a plaza lit with evening sun, another Kurogane and Fai walked home still holding hands.

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If you laughed I don't blame you. I'm no good at romance - ah well. Thank you for reading! :D I'm very sorry if there are any spelling mistakes If you see them and have time it be great if you could point them out


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